In Which Certain Incidents Are Narrated Which
Are Only to Be Met with on American Railroads
The train pursued its course, that evening, without interruption,
passing Fort Saunders, crossing Cheyne Pass, and reaching Evans
Pass. The road here attained the highest elevation of the
journey, eight thousand and ninety-two feet above the level of
the sea. The travelers had now only to descend to the Atlantic by
limitless plains, leveled by nature. A branch of the "grand
trunk" led off southward to Denver, the capital of Colorado. The
country round about is rich in gold and silver, and more than
fifty thousand inhabitants are already settled there.
Thirteen hundred and eighty-two miles had been passed over from
San Francisco, in three days and three nights. Four days and
nights more would probably bring them to New York. Phileas Fogg
was not as yet behind time.
During the night Camp Walbach was passed on the left. Lodge Pole
Creek ran parallel with the road, marking the boundary between
the territories of Wyoming and Colorado. They entered Nebraska at
eleven, passed near Sedgwick, and touched at Julesburg, on the
southern branch of the Platte River.
It was here that the Union Pacific Railroad was inaugurated on
the 23rd of October, 1867, by the chief engineer, General Dodge.
Two powerful locomotives, carrying nine ears of invited guests,
amongst whom was Thomas C. Durant, vice-president of the road,
stopped at this point. Cheers were given, the Sioux and Pawnees
performed an imitation Indian battle, fireworks were let off, and
the first number of the Rail-way Pioneer was printed by a press
brought on the train. Thus was celebrated the inauguration of
this great railroad, a mighty instrument of progress and
civilization, thrown across the desert, and destined to link
together cities and towns which do not yet exist. The whistle of
the locomotive, more powerful than Amphion's lyre, was about to
bid them rise from American soil.
Fort McPherson was left behind at eight in the morning, and three
hundred and fifty-seven miles had yet to be covered before
reaching Omaha. The road followed the capricious windings of the
southern branch of the Platte River, on its left bank. At nine
the train stopped at the important town of North Platte, built
between the two arms of the river, which rejoin each other
around it and form a single artery--a large tributary whose
waters empty into the Missouri a little above Omaha.
The one hundred and first meridian was passed.
Mr. Fogg and his partners had resumed their game; no one--not
even the dummy--complained of the length of the trip. Fix had
begun by winning several guineas, which he seemed likely to lose;
but he showed himself a not less eager whist-player than Mr.
Fogg. During the morning, chance distinctly favored that
gentleman. Trumps and honors were showered upon his hands.
Once, having resolved on a bold stroke, he was on the point of
playing a spade, when a voice behind him said, "I should play a
diamond."
Mr. Fogg, Aouda and Fix raised their heads, and beheld Colonel
Proctor.
Stamp Proctor and Phileas Fogg recognized each other at once.
"Ah! It's you, is it, Englishman?" cried the colonel. "It's you
who are going to play a spade!"
"And who plays it," replied Phileas Fogg coolly, throwing down
the ten of spades.
"Well, it pleases me to have it diamonds," replied Colonel
Proctor, in an insolent tone.
He made a movement as if to seize the card which had just been
played, adding, "You don't understand anything about whist."
"Perhaps I do, as well as another," said Phileas Fogg, rising.
"You have only to try, son of John Bull," replied the colonel.
Aouda turned pale, and her blood ran cold. She seized Mr. Fogg's
arm and gently pulled him back. Passepartout was ready to pounce
upon the American, who was staring insolently at his opponent.
But Fix got up, and, going to Colonel Proctor said, "You forget
that it is I with whom you have to deal, sir; for it was I whom
you not only insulted, but struck!"
"Mr. Fix," said Mr. Fogg, "pardon me, but this affair is mine,
and mine only. The colonel has again insulted me, by insisting
that I should not play a spade, and he shall give me satisfaction
for it."
"When and where you will," replied the American, "and with
whatever weapon you choose."
Aouda in vain attempted to retain Mr. Fogg. As vainly did the
detective endeavor to make the quarrel his. Passepartout wished
to throw the colonel out of the window, but a sign from his
master cheeked him. Phileas Fogg left the car, and the American
followed him upon the platform. "Sir," said Mr. Fogg to his
adversary, "I am in a great hurry to get back to Europe, and any
delay whatever will be greatly to my disadvantage."
"Well, what's that to me?" replied Colonel Proctor.
"Sir," said Mr. Fogg, very politely, "after our meeting at San
Francisco, I determined to return to America and find you as soon
as I had completed the business which called me to England."
"Really!"
"Will you appoint a meeting for six months hence?"
"Why not ten years hence?"
"I say six months," returned Phileas Fogg, "and I shall be at the
place of meeting promptly."
"All this is an evasion," cried Stamp Proctor. "Now or never!"
"Very good. You are going to New York?"
"No."
"To Chicago?"
"No."
"To Omaha?"
"What difference is it to you? Do you know Plum Creek?"
"No," replied Mr. Fogg.
"It's the next station. The train will be there in an hour, and
will stop there ten minutes. In ten minutes several revolver
shots could be exchanged."
"Very well," said Mr. Fogg. "I will stop at Plum Creek."
"And I guess you'll stay there too," added the American
insolently.
"Who knows?" replied Mr. Fogg, returning to the car as coolly as
usual. He began to reassure Aouda, telling her that blusterers
were never to be feared, and begged Fix to be his second at the
approaching duel, a request which the detective could not refuse.
Mr. Fogg resumed the interrupted game with perfect calmness.
At eleven o'clock the locomotive's whistle announced that they
were approaching Plum Creek station. Mr. Fogg rose, and, followed
by Fix, went out upon the platform. Passepartout accompanied him,
carrying a pair of revolvers. Aouda remained in the car, as pale
as death.
The door of the next car opened, and Colonel Proctor appeared on
the platform, attended by a Yankee of his own stamp as his
second. But just as the combatants were about to step from the
train, the conductor hurried up, and shouted, "You can't get off,
gentlemen!"
"Why not?" asked the colonel.
"We are twenty minutes late, and we shall not stop."
"But I am going to fight a duel with this gentleman."
"I am sorry," said the conductor; "but we shall be off at once.
There's the bell ringing now."
The train started.
"I'm really very sorry,--" said the conductor. "Under any other
circumstances I should have been happy to oblige you. But, after
all, as you have not had time to fight here, why not fight as we
go along?"
"That wouldn't be convenient, perhaps, for this gentleman," said
the colonel, in a jeering tone.
"It would be perfectly so," replied Phileas Fogg.
"Well, we are really in America," thought Passepartout, "and the
conductor is a gentleman of the first order!"
So muttering, he followed his master.
The two combatants, their seconds, and the conductor passed
through the cars to the rear of the train. The last car was only
occupied by a dozen passengers, whom the conductor politely asked
if they would not be so kind as to leave it vacant for a few
moments, as two gentlemen had an affair of honor to settle. The
passengers granted the request with alacrity, and straightway
disappeared on the platform.
The car, which was some fifty feet long, was very convenient for
their purpose. The adversaries might march on each other in the
aisle, and fire at their ease. Never was duel more easily
arranged. Mr. Fogg and Colonel Proctor, each provided with two
six-barreled revolvers, entered the car. The seconds, remaining
outside, shut them in. They were to begin firing at the first
whistle of the locomotive. After an interval of two minutes, what
remained of the two gentlemen would be taken from the car.
Nothing could be more simple. Indeed, it was all so simple that
Fix and Passepartout felt their hearts beating as if they would
crack. They were listening for the whistle agreed upon, when
suddenly savage cries resounded in the air, accompanied by
reports which certainly did not issue from the car where the
duelists were. The reports continued in front and the whole
length of the train. Cries of terror proceeded from the interior
of the cars.
Colonel Proctor and Mr. Fogg, revolvers in hand, hastily quitted
their prison, and rushed forward where the noise was most
clamorous. They then perceived that the train was attacked by a
band of Sioux.
This was not the first attempt of these daring Indians, for more
than once they had waylaid trains on the road. A hundred of them
had, according to their habit, jumped upon the steps without
stopping the train, with the ease of a clown mounting a horse at
full gallop.
The Sioux were armed with guns, from which came the reports, to
which the passengers, who were almost all armed, responded by
revolver shots.
The Indians had first mounted the engine, and half stunned the
engineer and stoker with blows from their muskets. A Sioux chief,
wishing to stop the train, but not knowing how to work the
regulator, had opened wide instead of closing the steam-valve,
and the locomotive was plunging forward with terrific velocity.
The Sioux had at the same time invaded the cars, skipping like
enraged monkeys over the roofs, thrusting open the doors, and
fighting hand to hand with the passengers. Penetrating the
baggage-car, they pillaged it, throwing the trunks out of the
train. The cries and shots were constant. The travelers defended
themselves bravely. Some of the cars were barricaded, and
sustained a siege, like moving forts, carried along at a speed of
a hundred miles an hour.
Aouda behaved courageously from the first. She defended herself
like a true heroine with a revolver, which she shot through the
broken windows whenever a savage made his appearance. Twenty
Sioux had fallen mortally wounded to the ground, and the wheels
crushed those who fell upon the rails as if they had been worms.
Several passengers, shot or stunned, lay on the seats.
It was necessary to put an end to the struggle, which had lasted
for ten minutes, and which would result in the triumph of the
Sioux if the train was not stopped. Fort Kearney station, where
there was a garrison, was only two miles distant; but, that once
passed, the Sioux would be masters of the train between Fort
Kearney and the station beyond.
The conductor was fighting beside Mr. Fogg, when he was shot and
fell. At the same moment he cried, "Unless the train is stopped
in five minutes, we are lost!"
"It shall be stopped," said Phileas Fogg, preparing to rush from
the car.
"Stay, monsieur," cried Passepartout. "I will go."
Mr. Fogg had not time to stop the brave fellow, who, opening a
door unperceived by the Indians, succeeded in slipping under the
car; and while the struggle continued, and the balls whizzed
across each other over his head, he made use of his old acrobatic
experience, and with amazing agility worked his way under the
cars, holding on to the chains, aiding himself by the brakes and
edges of the sashes, creeping from one car to another with
marvelous skill, and thus gaining the forward end of the train.
There, suspended by one hand between the baggage-car and the
tender, with the other he loosened the safety chains; but, owing
to the traction, he would never have succeeded in unscrewing the
yoking-bar, had not a violent concussion jolted this bar out. The
train, now detached from the engine, remained a little behind,
whilst the locomotive rushed forward with increased speed.
Carried on by the force already acquired, the train still moved
for several minutes; but the brakes were worked and at last they
stopped, less than a hundred feet from Kearney station.
The soldiers of the fort, attracted by the shots, hurried up. The
Sioux had not expected them, and decamped in a body before the
train entirely stopped.
But when the passengers counted each other on the station
platform several were found missing; among others the courageous
Frenchman, whose devotion had just saved them.